The open source community should feel a little safer from software patent attacks, writes InfoWorld's Simon Phipps. "The Open Invention Network, a consortium of Linux contributors formed as a self-defense against software patents, has extended the definition of Linux so that a whopping 700 new software packages are covered, including many developer favorites. Just one hitch: The new definition also includes carve-outs that put all Linux developers on notice that Phillips and Sony reserve the right to sue over virtualization, search, user interfaces, and more."

After working for a couple of big corporations I have learned the sad truth how these "entities" deal with open source.

For them open source is just a way to cut development costs, with the added benefit of doing some good PR from time to time. While on the other hand patents and IP copyrights get done to prevent the competition.

Even companies I though were open source friendly, changed my mind, when I discovered how they actually work internally. Mostly is just a small section that is FLOSS friendly, while the rest thinks on the shareholders benefits.

In the end while Microsoft is seen as the dark lord, most big corporations behave exactly the same way, and just because a small unit does a few FLOSS contributions, then get forgiven by the community.